Dirigible



C. J. LYNDEI mmqwuz. APPLICATION FILED MAR 5, 192!- PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

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DIRIGIBLE. APPLICATION FILED MAR-5, I921.

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WITNESSES 566% A TTORNEYS Patented Sept. 26, 1922,

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GARLETON JOHN LYNDE, OF STE. ANNE DE BELLEVUE, QUEBEC, CANADA.

DIRIGIBLE.

Application filed March'5, 1921. Serial No. 449,693.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Cameron JOHN LYNDE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and resident of Ste. Anne de Belle vue, Province of Quebec, and Dominion of Canada, have invented a new and Improved Dirigible, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

'My invention relates to dirigibles, and has as its object, the provision of a device of this character, which shall present certain improvements over dirigibles heretofore produced.

It is well understood that the expense involved in connection with the manufacture of a non-rigid type of dirigible, is far less than the expense involved in the manufacture of a rigid type of dirigible.

Further, the axis of resistance presented by the envelope of the non rigid type of 'dirigible is at a point relatively removed from the line of pull exerted, by the pro peller.

This results in the tendency on the part of the envelope to nose up and with a View of counteracting this tendency, the elevators must be set to overcome this action,

or some other provision must be adapted for the accomplishment of this purpose.

Necessarily any counter-acting medium will retard the movement of the vessel, aside from throwing an unnecessary strain upon the same.

Attempts have been made to bring the line of pull of the propellers and the axis of resistance of the dirigible more nearly into the same straight line by attaching the propellers to the frame of the balloon, but this expedient does not result in the alignment of the pull and axis of resistance at the same time necessitating a rigid frame, however. i

Entirely aside from the foregoing, it is to be noted that considerable difficulty has construction of a device of this type in' which mostof the movements on the part of the envelope, incident to its passage through the air will not be imparted to the occupants of the gondola.

Further objects of my invention will appear in the annexed specification and drawings which latter present a practical embodiment of my invention, andin which Figure 1 is a partly fragmentary side View of a dirigible embodying my improved construction and showing the same while at rest. 1

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l but showing the position of the parts while in movement.

Figure 3*is aseotional view of certain of the suspending means connecting the g0ndola with'the envelope.

Figure 4- illustrates one of these partsin detail. v

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing further details of my invention. "Figures 6 and 7 are sectional side and plan views respectively of the forward end of the gondola, "and showing a power plant which may conveniently be'utilized to drive a propeller, and

Figures 8 and 9 show a diagram'of the result accomplished by my method.

Figure 10 shows the dirigible travelling at high speed. Y

Referring now more particularly toFigures 1 and 2, it will be seen that the reference numeral 10 indicates the envelope of a dirigibl'e, which envelope is preferably elongated, and enclosing a suitable number of balloo'nets 11,, and any conventional suspending means 12 may be provided serving to support acollar 18, to which the gondola may be attached in a manner hereinafter more fully specified.

Assuming that a connection is provided which will permit of a swinging movement on the part of the gondola 14, with respect to the envelope 10, it will be appreciated, reference being had to Figure 2, thatthe envelope willtrail to the rear of the gondola, Thus, reference being had to Figure 8, it will be seen that the line of pull of the propellers :1, the line of pull of the envelope B, and the line of downward pull of the car C intersect at a common point X.

Also reference being had to Figure 9 it will be appreciated that if XE represents in magnitude and direction the pull of the envelope at any speed, and KC represents in magnitude and direction the pull of the gondola at this speed, the diagonal XD will represent in magnitude and direction the resultant of these two pulls, by the parallelolaw of forces. It will be seen further that this resultant is the resistance offered by the envelope and gondola, that the line X1) is the axis of this resistance; and that this axis of resistance and the line of pull of the propellers are in the same straight line at all speeds. a

Any suitable means providing a desirable type of coupling between the envelope and gondola may be utilized, such as for instance that illustrated in Figures 3 to 5.

In these views it will be noted that the gondola is attached to a yoke member 15, which may be suitably reinforced by a cable 16, and its attachment is effected preferably by means of a pivot pin 17, permitting of a longitudinal rocking on the part of the gondola with respect to the yoke.

Transverse rocking of the gondola with respect to the envelope is permitted by any suitable means such as a secondary yoke 18, to which the upper end of the yoke 15 is connected. The yoke 18 is in turn connected by a pin 19 to the end of the sleeve 20, and with a view of providing a connection guarding against any accidental breaking of the elements aforespecified, the cable 16 may pass through the eye of a rod 21, capable of engagement with the suspending means 12,.

It will be seen that by the connections aforedescribed, both transverse and longitudinal rocking on the part of the gondola with respect to the envelope is permitted, but it will also be appreciated that particularly, while traveling at high speed, and

through the path of air currents, that the envelope would tend to revolve around its longitudinal axis, and thus tend to turn the gondola 14,-,

With a view of overcoming this tendency, 1 may employ any suitable means permitting of a swivel action, such means conveniently taking the form illustrated in Figure 8, in which it will be noted that the sleeve 20 forms a part of the ball race 22, the second part of said racebeing provided by the collar 13.

Ubviously this connection taken together with the universal couplings aforedescribed will permit of independent motion on the part of the envelope with respect to the gondola without in the slightest interfering with the proper suspension of the same.

To provide means which will serve to retain the envelope 10 in properly inflated position, and to compensate for the seepage of gas from the balloonets 11, I may conveniently utilize an air compressor or blower 23, which is connected by means of a hose 24. with the interior of the sleeve 20, and consequently with the body of the envelope 10. Thus upon the balloonets becoming deflated, it will be seen that this deflation may be accounted for by forcing air into the interior through the connection aforestated.

It will also be seen, reference being had to Figures 6 and 7, that the propeller 25 may be movably mounted, as has been indicated by the reference numeral 26, and driven by a motor 27, to act in the nature of a helicopter, which will exert a lifting capacity and permit of a greater load being suspended from an envelope of a given lifting capacity, or the utilization of a smaller envelope for a previously ascertained load.

It is to be noted, however, that the line of pull of the propeller 25 lies with the pin 17 forming the point of pivotal connection between the yoke 15 and gondola 1% so that the advantages specified, in connection with Figures 8 and 9 may be brought into being.

Thus it will be seen that l have provided a dirigible in which the line of pull and axis of resistance are in the same straight line aside from the fact that the driving mechanism may be capable of lifting the greater part of the load, the balloon serving as a partial lifting agent, as well as providing a steadying element covering the pull of the propellers.

However, it will be seen that a dirigible constructed in accordance with my invention will move through the air with far greater case than former dirigibles, aside from the fact that it may be manufactured at an extremely low figure, and be operated with a minimum of effort.

Another advantage derived by means of a dirigible embodying my improved construction is that of stability for the reason that the center of gravity of the car is always below the line of pull and resistance, and because the envelope may revolve around its longitudinal axis, aside from the fact that the envelope may be of a non-rigid type.

Obviously it will also be noted that as the speed of the dirigible increases there will be relatively less resistance offered by the envelope for the reason that this element will keel over more and more so as to finally lie in an almost horizontal plane, as has been clearly indicated in Figure 10. Thus it will be appreciated that, as aforestated, less resistance is offered in view of the fact that the area of the lifting edge is decreased, due to the plane assumed by the body of theenvelope.

From the foregoing it will be seen that velope, a yoke rockingly attached to said numerous modifications of structure might sleeve, a secondary yoke attached to said readily be resorted to Without in the least first named yoke, a propeller having its line departing from the spirit of my invention, of pull in line With said point of rocking 5 Which I claim as: connection of said last named yoke with the 15 A dirigible, including an envelope, a susgondola, and means Within said gondola for pending means secured to said envelope, a compressing fluid and introducing the same ring attached to said suspending means, a into said sleeve. sleeve rotatably attached to said ring and 10 communicating With the interior of said en- CARLETON JOHN LYNDE. 

